Shrimp, Sausage and Beer

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This recipe comes from Brook (HistoricFoodie), with these comments:

 I got this recipe back in the late 60s, from a friend when we were living in Boston, and it hasn’t gone out of favor with us through the years.

They say a classic never dies, so I resolved to give this a shot. Not only did it sound really good, but it also came to me at a perfect time, as The Beautiful Mrs. Tas and I are looking to slash our carbohydrate intake. It also had the virtue of appearing to be a very easy dish to prepare, which very much fits our requirements these days.

Here's the recipe:

 1.5 to 2 pounds shrimp
3 links bratwurst or Polish-style sausage
1 teaspoon dried basil (note from Brook: last time I had no basil so I subbed savory, which worked even better)
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt         	
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 cup beer
Olive oil

Slice sausage. Fry in a little oil with the garlic and remove from pan. (note from Brook: I pre-fry the sausage until almost done so it doesn’t fall apart when slicing).

Sauté shrimp in same pan until pink. Add the onion, salt, basil, paprika and beer. Return the sausage. Simmer at least 5 minutes and serve.

I prepared this for our supper this evening, using 3 links of fresh bratwurst, Samuel Adams “Downtime Pilsner” and substituting 1/2 teaspoon of thyme in place of the teaspoon of basil. 

Some preparation notes: I poked a few holes in each link, browned them about 7 minutes on each side in a little olive oil, then sliced and set them aside. I then sautéd the onions, then added the shrimp and proceeded with the recipe. I used a medium-sized cast iron skillet, but a large one would have worked better, I think. The dish was a little “soupier” than I expected, and with no pasta or rice to soak the excess liquid up, I served the meal in shallow bowls with a serving of green beans.

This recipe tasted very good, with lots of flavour and a depth that belies its simplicity. The thyme was a very good substitute for the basil, and the choice of sausage and beer worked very well with the profile. Worthy of note is that this single recipe divided into five equal servings was quite satisfying, even with no starch or bread.

In short, I enjoyed it very much, and I am counting on it as part of the regular rotation.